Texas Southern, Sam Houston State and Houston Baptist are separated by tens of millions of dollars and several ledges on the NCAA food chain from the discussion about expanded decision-making powers for the richest collegiate conferences.

But athletic directors at each school know they could at some point be affected by whatever decisions are made by their more affluent counterparts at Texas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Ohio State and USC.

"We keep trying to chase the dream," said Bobby Williams, athletic director at Sam Houston State. "It's getting more and more difficult. Some rules may change. But you still have to pay for it. The marketplace may not drive it, and that could prevent you."

Bold thinking

It's a time for caution, but not necessarily timidity.

TSU athletic director Charles McClelland can envision a scenario where Texas Southern could stay in the Southwestern Athletic Conference or seek out another Football Championship Subdivision league or even a Football Bowl Subdivision conference.

"I think we already are at the level of a Sam Houston or McNeese State when you consider facilities and budget and the way we do business," he said. "We had issues with rules compliance and academics, and we have come out stronger for dealing with them. Our facilities and budget are comparable or better. Our coaches are comparable.

"The only thing I can guarantee you is that TSU will be ready when the time comes. If that means staying where we are or moving on to an FBS program, we are positioning ourselves to have that option and not to be forced in one direction or another."

The NCAA's Division I board of directors will be asked to approve a plan that provides more rule-making autonomy to the five richest FBS conferences. Other FBS conferences will have a chance to follow suit.

But some industry observers anticipate a power shift in the FBS ranks that could leave the smaller conferences, like the Sun Belt or Mid-American, closer in terms of resources to the largest FCS leagues, like the Big Sky, Missouri Valley or Southland.

"The Sun Belt is made up of schools that were in the Southland at various points," Williams said. "But in some cases, all you're doing is spending more money (to compete in FBS). Are you getting benefits? That has to be determined by each school."

At TSU, McClelland said the university so values a successful sports program that it allows scholarship student-athletes to keep federally funded student assistance, known as Pell Grants, rather than keeping the money. That can total up to $2,100 per semester, based on a student-athlete's need.

"A lot of FCS schools and the majority of the HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) do not give the Pell money back," he said. "That is a huge expense for TSU, but we understand how important it is for us to compete.

"When it comes to stipends, TSU is poised to be on that side if it comes about. We will have the wherewithal to raise the extra million dollars to do that. We are in the middle of Houston. We can generate that kind of revenue."

Ahead of the curve

McClelland also said TSU's on-campus basketball arena, its agreement to play football at BBVA Compass Stadium and its television contract with Comcast SportsNet Houston "places us to be ahead of the curve" if FBS rules autonomy generates an opportunity for TSU to improve its conference affiliation.

Even if conference membership remains stable, Williams said FCS schools might face pressure to keep up with FBS schools in areas that are not regulated by the NCAA.

"For recruits, the perception will be that we should have something close to what they have," he said. "There will be a perception of what our facilities should look like and what our uniforms should look like and what our locker rooms should look like.

"The pressure goes up. You build a nice facility, and it's obsolete because of what is being done at a higher level."

TSU and Sam Houston can draw upon decades of football history, but Houston Baptist is starting its program from the ground up. Athletic director Steve Moniaci acknowledged the school faces a "daunting prospect" as schools discuss incentives to attract recruits.

"If the big five FBS conferences offer stipends, what about the next five conferences, with schools like Rice and Houston?" he said. "The Southland Conference (in which HBU will play football) competes against them for some kids. What do we do as a league?

"If Sam Houston decides to spend on something, we would have to take a serious look at doing the same. If they don't, maybe we don't, or maybe we do, to get a recruiting advantage. It all depends on what the competition is doing.

"The rich (schools) will get richer, but the rich have been getting richer anyway. It just becomes a further separation. Everyone will keep the same sports they have. But the talent levels may change."

Class warfare

Sam Houston State officials and boosters have talked for a decade about the prospect of following former Southland schools like North Texas and Texas State to an FBS league. Some of that discussion has been slowed by the school's recent football success, with back-to-back visits to the FCS title game, but it has not gone away.

Since the smaller FBS leagues and the top FCS conferences generally compete for the same pool of players, decisions like cost of attendance stipends that could be granted by the large FBS leagues could become an issue throughout Division I football.

Where to spend?

But Williams would prefer to pay a half-million to a million dollars in stipends to student-athletes than to engage in the facilities arms race that requires hundreds of thousands of dollars for weight rooms and stadium expansions.

"If a student-athlete lives on campus, about 80 percent of scholarship revenue goes back to the university," he said. "So some schools see scholarships as investments. I'd rather have scholarship aid than have to build another building. Of course, you still have to build the buildings to get them here."